Pre-E3 2005: Scooby-Doo! Unmasked

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Zoinks! Scooby and the gang jump into the Mystery Van for another platforming fright-fest. Details and impressions.

By Matt Casamassina

Comedian Eddie Izzard says that Scooby-Doo is America's Shakespeare. That sounds ludicrous, of course, but he actually makes a good point. Cowardly characters are difficult to identify with and in turn to like. Generally, courageous heroes dominate the silver screen, their guns blazing and their faces wearing unflinching grins even as bullets whiz by them. But like Shakespeare, whose multi-faceted characters sometimes let fear get the best of them, Scooby and Shaggy are driven by their cowardice -- and we love them for it. Furthermore, more often than not we find ourselves rooting for the duo, whose collective ambition is simply to eat a lot of food. That is an admirable goal that we can certainly get behind.

We played THQ's first two Scooby-Doo offerings for consoles and -- as readers can tell by our ratings -- they both passed, but not with honors. The first title, dubbed Scooby-Doo: Night of 100 Frights, was big on pick-up-and-play platforming, but failed to truly capitalize on the colorful license. Meanwhile, the second outing, Scooby-Doo: Mystery Mayhem, did exactly the opposite, effectively nailing the license, but losing some of the core gameplay mechanics that made the original interesting.

Well, developer A2M is back with a game that finally seems to get it right -- at least, based on our run-through of several differing levels set to grace the Electronics Entertainment Expo 2005's show floor. Scooby-Doo! Unmasked, due for GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Game Boy Advance this September, marries old-school platforming with the lucrative license and skimps on neither element, a truth that is sure to please Scooby fans young and old.

A focus on presentation is clear from the moment the game boots up. The animated logo screens for THQ and A2M are spotlighted, quite literally, by Shaggy's flashlight as he and Scooby explore around. This display is followed by an intro sequence that perfectly mimics that of the television series complete with classic music -- except that all of the snippets are handled in real-time with the game's engine. The title's new quasi-cell-shaded look (called contour shading) effectively recreates the cartoony style of the series. Meanwhile, THQ has contracted much of the original show's voice talent to provide audio for the game's recognizable cast of characters, which includes Fred, Velma, Daphne, Scooby and Shaggy. The title also employs a celebrity guest voice: Adam West of Batman fame. It's all come together. The technology, which is an enhanced version of the Scaler engine, has no problem drawing competent worlds with destructible environments.

Unmasked is designed for kids, but unlike so much younger-skewed software, it won't alienate adults. In fact, if we're any indication, the simple platform mechanics and nostalgic scenarios may even bring a smile to the faces of some veteran players. The story is right out of an episode. When the gang goes to visit Fred's cousin Jed at his theme park, they quickly discover that he's gone missing. In his place, animatronic monsters have run amuck. His peers are blaming Jed for the madness, but Fred doesn't believe his cousin could have had anything to do with it. Thus, the gang sets out to find out what true force is behind the frights.

The latest title features three and a half main hub worlds, each with a number of sub-stages. Gamers will also have to square off against three boss characters per hub world for a total of nine. Some of the bosses will be recognizable and others are entirely new, according to the publisher. Scooby is the only controllable character, but the others play into the cut-scenes. Of course, the levels are designed to appeal to platformer purists. As Scooby travels through the locations, he'll need to jump from ledges, swing on ropes, climb ceilings, ride objects, and more. The platforming flows smoothly and it's varied depending on the level. In some cases, a fixed camera provides gamers with a quasi-2D look as stages scroll by, and in others Scooby runs down 3D hallways while fending off ghosts and goblins. Scooby will travel through circus locations and haunted mansions, among other locales, as he progresses through the adventure.

The biggest addition to this year's game is Scooby's ability to dress up in costumes and take on new powers. In collecting a material located throughout the levels called Mubber, Scooby can use specially located machines to don new suits relevant to the context of a situation. For instance, he can wear a Robin Hood-style costume, which allows him to become an archer, shooting plungers at enemies and objects. The suit can be upgraded later in the game. In another level, he might need to don a bat suit to fly and glide through levels. He can also pick up a kung fu costume and use it to deal out martial arts blows unto any enemy that he comes into contact with. Ultra-violet lights located throughout the locations can evaporate suits, and in turn puzzles revolve around wearing and then losing the costumes.

The title largely revolves around typical platforming scenarios, but A2M has also included a host of mini-game-like areas to help segue the action. In some cases, Scooby will find himself sliding down a twisting path. In one mini-stage, the frightened dog has to fly a bi-plane through a surrealistic tunnel.

Scooby-Doo! Unmasked isn't set to ship for several months, but the game is already shaping up to be the best entry into the videogame series yet.

But readers don't need to take our word for it. We've included new screenshots and videos of the game in our media sections below.